Remote control for pitot tubes



Aug.. 29, 1933. R, STAR 1,924,965

REMOTE CONTROL FOR PITOT TUBES Filed July 5, 1931 Sli? "MW F1'/ :Y1729i. l l 9 im ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 29, 1933 REMOTE CONTROL FORPITOT TUBES Richard Star, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 3, 1931. Serial No. 548,699

Claims.

This invention relates to controls for Pitot tubes and particularly toan improved remote control whereby a Pitot tube on a ship or boat may beraised and lowered from a distant point at any 5 time, the object beingto provide a simplified structure which may be readily installed andeasily operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a remote control for Pitottubes whereby the same may be drawn in or forced outwardly through theaction of means at a distant point, the structure being such thatindicating means are provided at the distant control point to show whenthe Pitot tube has been moved inwardly for the desired distance oroutwardly for the desired distance.

An additional object is to provide a remote control for Pitot tubes usedin connection with gauges, `the structure functioning to move the tubeinwardly and outwardly without in any way disturbing the gauge.

` In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a view in diagram showing part of a ship with a log and aremote control embodying the invention associated therewith for raisingan lowering the Pitot tube.

Figure 2 is a perspective view with certain parts broken awayillustrating the entire control device except for a section of pipewhich connects the two principal parts.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through theindicating device shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the controllingvalves and associated parts embodying certain features of the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the indicating cup shown in Figure 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates Va shipof any desired kind, said ship being provided with a log 2 forindicating the speed of the ship. Log 2 is provided with a structure 3including a Pitot tube 4. The parts just described are old and wellknown and form no part of the present invention except in corn- 45bination.

In installing the log 2, lit must be installed near the lower part ofthe ship so that the tube 4 when in use may be continually submerged.This necessitates placing the device in out of the way 50 places, evensometimes in the double bottom of the ship. When entering a drydock ormany other places, it is desirable to raise the Pitot tube 4 and whenthis is necessary some one must go -down into the lower part of the shipand raise this tube. This requires time and involves some appreciablework so that in the past it has been found that quite often the captainwill take a chance and leave thetube projecting which oftentimes resultsin breaking or bending of the' tube, thus necessitating a new tube. Thisinvention is intended to overcome these objections and provide an easilyoperated structure arranged in the chart room, pilot house or otherdesired point, which structure may be actuated at any time forVwithdrawing the Pitot tube or projecting the same outwardly intooperative position.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, the Pitot tube is carried by atubular structure5 secured to the valve casing 6, which valve` casinghas bosses 7 and 8, bossv 7 being adapted to receive 70 bolts or screwsfor clamping the same rmly toV the bottom of the. ship or some othersupport. Boss 8 has the bars 9 bolted or otherwise clamped thereto, saidbars being rigidly connected with clamps 10 and 11, which clampssurround and 75v grip the respective cylinders 12 and 13. These clampsmay be removably mounted in position, but are preferably held inposition by suitable screws'l and 15, so that the parts will becomparatively rigid. It will be understood that when the valve 16 is inthe open position, the tube 4 may be moved inwardly and outwardly asdesired,- member 5 acting as a packing gland so that there will be noleakage. Members 5, 6v and 16 are old and well known and therefore formno part of the present invention except in combination with the otherparts.

The cylinders 12 and 13 are of a length to permit a full withdrawal ofthe tube 4 and a full projection thereof below the bottom' of the 90ship. These cylinders carry the respective pistons 17 and 18, whichpistons are provided with reversibly positioned washers, that is,washers facing in opposite directions so as to contact with thecylinders as air or steam is supplied alter 95 nately. at the respectiveends for propelling the pistons and thereby pulling or pushing the tube4. The piston rods 19 and 20 are connected to the respective pistons 17and 18 and also to cross' bar 21, which cross bar is provided with atubular guide 22', said guide being rigidly connected not only to thecross bar 21, but with the Pitot tube 4 so that as the pistons moveupwardly and downwardly, the rods 19 and20 will move the cross bar21 andPitot tube 4 upward- ,105 ly and downwardly. As shown in Figure 2, thePitot tube is in its withdrawn or inner position while inv Figure 1, theparts are in the downward or outer position. In order that these pistonsshall function for moving'the Pitot tube inwardly and outwardly air,steam or other fluid matter must be supplied to the respective cylindersat the respective ends. A pipe system 23 connects the lower ends of thecylinders 12 and 13 together while pipe system 24 connects the upperends of the cylinders together so that the pistons in the respectivecylinders will function simultaneously. A pipe 25 is connected to thepipe system 23 and a pipe 26 is connected with the pipe system 24. Thesepipes extend upwardly and also horizontally to a desired point as forinstance the chart room 27 as illustrated in Figure l. Both of thesepipes are connected to the lower control valve 28 and also to the uppercontrol valve 29. These controlrvalves are shown more in detail inFigure 4, from which it will be seen that the respective valves areprovided with the respective keys 30 and 31, said keys being ofidentical structure and provided with passageways 32 and 33respectively. Valve 28A is connected through the pipe 34 to the handpump 35 whereby hand pump 35 is operated and the principal parts are inthe position shown in Figure 4. Air will pass through passageway 32 Y,and into the pipe 26 and through this pipe into the upper ends of thecylinders 12 and 13 whereby the pistons will be forced downwardly andthe Pitot tube will be forced to its outer position as shown inFigure 1. As the air flows in the l. path just set forth, and as thepistons 17 and 29 and pass out passageway 33 to the pipe 36 'and fromthence into the indicator 37.

Indicator 37 as shown in Figure 3 is provided with a glass tube 38 and acap39 having small passageway 40. An indicating cup 41 is loosely-mounted in the tube 38 and is provided with one or more grooves 42 inthe upper end whereby when the air passing through pipe 36 strikes thecup, it will' raise the cup and usually cause the cup to press againstcap 39; by reason of the grooves 42, the air will escape throughpassageway 40. As long as the cup 41 is held elevated, the personoperating the device will realize that the pistons 17 and 18 are movingand consequently will continue to operate the pump 35. When the cup 41drops downwardly to its lowest position as shown vin Figure 3, theoperator will know that the pistons have reached the end of their traveland consequently any further actuation of the pump 35 will be useless.

- After the Pitot tube has been forced outwardly *as just described, itmay be withdrawn by re- -into the pipe system 23 and thence into thelower end of the cylinders 12 and 13.

Air passing in this direction will raise the pistons and consequentlywill pull the tube 4 to its inner position. As the pistons move upwardlythe air will be forced from the cylinders 12 and 13 through pipe 26 andthis air will escape through, the valve 29 into pipe 36 and thence intothe glass tube 38 for raising cup 41. It will thus be seen that cup 41is raised when the Pitot tubeisbeing moved .inwardly or is being movedoutwardly.

The valves 28 and 29 and associated parts are positioned kat any desiredpoint on the ship any desired distance away from the Pitot tube but maybe operated at any time for actuating the tube.

I claim:

1. A Pitot tube actuating structure including a pair of iixed cylinders,a piston arranged in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to eachpiston, said rod extending from said cylinders, means for connectingsaid rods to a Pitot tube, air pipes, one extending from one end of eachcylinder to a distant point and the other extending from the other endvof each cylinder to said distant point, a pair of valves connected tosaid pipes at a distant point for controlling the inlet and outlet ofsaid-pipes, and means for supplying air under pressure at said distantpoint, one of said valves being connected to said air supplying meansfor controlling the flow of air from said air supplying means to eitherof the pipes according to the direction of movement of said pistons.

2. The combination with a ship having a Pitot tube positioned toreciprocate inwardly and outwardly of the bottom of the ship, of anactuating structure for moving said Pitot tube inwardly and outwardly,said structure including a remote control, said structure comprising anair actuated power device, said device having a reciprocating member'connected to said Pitot tube, a pair of air supply pipes connected tosaid power device and extending to a distant point, said pipes beingadapted to supply air underpressure to the air actuated device to causethe same to function, control valves at said distant point interposed insaid pipes, and means for supplying air under pressure to said pipes,one of said control valves being connected to said air supply means forcontrolling the ow of air from said air supply means lto either of saidpipes according tothe position of said air actuated means for causingsaid Pitot tube to bemoved inwardly or outwardly as desired. Y

3. A Pitot tube actuatingstructure including an air actuated powerdevice directly connected with the Pitot tube, pipes leading from saidpower device to a distant point, means at said distantpoint forproviding air under pressure to said pipes f or actuating said powerdevice, and a pair of control valves at said distant point controllingthe flow of air in said pipes, one of said valves being connected tosaid air supply means for controlling the flow of air from said airsupply means to either of the pipes according to the direction ofmovement oiA saidpower device, and the other valve controlling theexhaust of air from said pipes.

4. The combination with a vessel using a Pitot tube of means for movingsaid tube from an inoperative position to an operative position, saidmeans including a pair of cylinders, a piston arranged in each cylinder,a piston rod connected with eachpiston, a crossbar connected to theouter end of each rod, means for connecting said crossbar to said Pitottube, a pairV of pipes for supplying air to said cylinders at therespective ends thereof, both of said pipes extending to a remote point,means at said remote point for supplyingV air under pressure to saidpipes, a pair of control valves connected to said pipes at said distantpoint, one of said control-valves being connected to said air supplymeans for controlling the flow of air from said air supply means toeither of said pipes according to the Vdirection of movement of saidpiston, and the other of said control 50 valves being connected to bothof said pipes for regulating the exhaust from the respective pipes, andmeans actuated by the exhaust for indicating the movement of said tube.

5. A device for moving a Pitot tube from an operative position to aninoperative position and also in a reverse direction, comprising an airactuated power structure formed with a cylinder, a piston positioned toreciprocate in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to and operated bysaid piston, means connecting said rod to said Pitot tube, air carryingpipes, one pipe being connected to each end of said cylinder andcommunicating with the interior of the cylinder, said pipes extending toa distant point, means atV said distant point for supplyingair underpressure to said pipes, a pair of Valve mechanisms at said distantpoint, one of said mechanisms being connected to said air supply meansfor switching air from' one pipe to the other and thereby supplying airto the respective ends of said cylinder at diierent times for actuatingsaid piston and said piston rod for moving said tube from the operativeposition to an inoperative position and also in a reverse direction asdesired, the other of said\va1ve mechanisms actuating to control theexhaust from said pipes, and an air actuated indicator operated by theexhaust air connected With the last mentioned valve mechanism, saidindicator being positioned to be actuated by the air from said lastmentioned valve mechanism when the same is moved to the position forexhausting either of said pipes, thus indicating the movement and theposition of said Pitot tube.

RICHARD STAR.

